Stopping Time

"Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow."

 - Psalm 144:4

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I've never wanted to stop time like I do now, as I hold my almost 4 month old baby girl in my arms. But every day as I see her changing more and more, and growing bigger, I have to accept the fact that time doesn't stand still, no matter how much I want it to. I hold her tight, and pray to hold onto these priceless moments, I try to memorize every detail, but even my memory fails me. There is nothing I can do to freeze time completely, capturing every smell, emotion, and feeling that I've felt. 

It almost hurts that life can be so precious, yet it passes by. You'd think that when living is this good, we could stop time and embrace the goodness, but even the good times pass by too quickly. 

This is the nature of our world, how God created us. We are but for a moment, a passing shadow in time. After all, our souls were created for eternity, not earth. 

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When my heart is aching over the thought of growing older, and those around me going on to Glory, I have to remind myself that Glory is really what we are all created for. God created us, so that we could have fellowship with Him, but He knew that we would sin, and that we would fall, and so He made a way for our souls to be saved through His death & resurrection, so that our souls could live forever in Heaven with Him. 

Despite wanting to stay young, our bodies fail us, we grow old and frail, our memories forget, our hair turns grey, and the youth we once glowed with turns to deep wrinkles, mapping out a life well-lived. Our bodies were not created to live forever, they break down, and eventually, on the day God plans for us, we close our eyes in this life, and open them in Glory. 

Glory is really what we're living for. 

Does this give your heart any hope?

Does it give you hope to know that even though our time here passes quickly, and our bodies fail us, that Glory is eternal, and that it's eternal happiness waiting for us on the other side? 

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We are only here for a moment, but God does leave us here for the time He's allowed, for the purpose of living our life for Him, and enjoying the loved ones He's put in our lives. 

Though it is true that our souls were created for eternity, God also created our bodies for earth, and for the current life you're living. We cannot wish these days away, we cannot waste them while we're here. 

If God has given you breath today, then you still have a reason to be alive, and it's your job to live your life while your here. 

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So we have to ask ourselves: "What is that purpose?" While I think God wants us to enjoy the life He's given us, I also think He requires us to work while we're here. And since we know we're really intended for Glory, shouldn't we be spending our time making sure that the people around us are ready for eternity? 

We are here to spread the Gospel, to share God's truth, to let people know that there's A God in Heaven Who loves them, Who made them, and Who died for them so that they could go to Heaven too. 

We are only here for a little while, so it's important to embrace each moment and not let time pass by without telling those we love about God. We must live with a sense of urgency, understanding that our days are numbered, and one day our work here will end. 

We have a responsibility to share our hope while we're here. 

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Go and live your life. Live in the freedom and joy of knowing that we're living for Glory. But while we're here, understand that we have a purpose, and the souls of our unsaved loved ones depend on us sharing God's plan for them. 

Our lives are but for a moment, a passing shadow in time, but oh, how important the time spent here is, don't waste it.